The Big Race
by Ephriokko
Summary: A one-shot set in Jak 2. Jak watches from the crowd as Daxter races on the track in his place. Based on two cutscenes and a gameplay segment. Rated T for very mild use of coarse language.


**I was playing through Jak 2 earlier and came across a certain cutscene and the following mission, where you get to race as Daxter. I felt inspired to write about it, so here we are! :)**

**A lot of the dialog at the beginning and end of this were taken directly from the cutscenes; I like to keep it accurate if I can! ;D As such, I watched the cutscenes a few times, but I might've gotten one or two words off; all the same, it shouldn't make too much of a difference.**

**The cutscene at the end of the mission/event is one that really makes me smile whenever I see it. The crystal-clear feelings of friendship and care towards each other is just makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. And then the end of the scene with Tess and Keira just had to ruin it and make it all sad. ;o;**

**I've never really tried writing with something like keeping up with a race—especially from a perspective that isn't the racer's— so it might be kinda choppy or feel uneven in the middle section. I apologize for that, it's just something I'm not used to doing… D; The same goes for writing about something like a cutscene; I try to interpret it as best as I can, and I feel more satisfied with it than the racing segment, but again, it's the first time I've really done something like that… so… yeah. :s**

**Anyways, if you're going to read this, I hope it's overall enjoyable or at least not a waste of your time. And of course, suggestions and critique are always welcome! **

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"You know what? Do it your way, and I'll do it mine. Just don't come crying to me when the walls fall down!" Jak growled, stomping out of the garage.

"Uh… Jak? Buddy? Heh heh… where you goin' there, pal? …Jak? _JAK_?" Daxter yelled, but Jak didn't turn to confront his friend, putting as much distance between him and the people behind him as possible. He may not have shown it back there, but the fact that Keira admired Erol—the same Erol who'd tortured him in prison—_really _hurt. He'd thought that his friend would have better sense than to trust a man like him. Not to mention that the captain of the Krimzon Guard had practically told him _directly_ that he only intended to pursue Keira to procure her skills as a mechanic. Jak didn't want to think about how far the vile man might go to get what he desired.

He'd only been trying to protect her, but Keira didn't seem to see it that way. In fact, instead of expressing any gratitude for his concern, she let loose a flurry of snappy comments about his judge of character.

Now, Jak could understand her dislike of his working for Krew; he found the obese man revolting as well. The only reason he even bothered with the ghastly individual was because of his connections—Jak _needed_ Krew's help to get to Baron Praxis, and while he hated that fact, he couldn't do anything to change it.

Keira's mention of his _own_ character, however, was downright painful. What happened to him during the past two years hadn't been his fault, and he couldn't help but feel bitter towards the man who _was_ responsible. And the dark eco in his system didn't help the matter one bit, especially since it was responsible for the 'change' Keira had spoken of so scornfully in their earlier conversation. So he'd developed a few 'anger issues' and a twisted form born of darkness; what did she _expect_ after years of psychological and physical torment via dark eco, flowers and sunshine?

And then there was the fact that the man in question was _Erol_. It was ironic, really, how Keira blamed Jak for his irritability and darker demeanor when it was Erol who'd caused him to change so much in the first place.

Jak's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the stadium intercom begin to speak.

"Attention all drivers: The class two races will begin soon."

"Oh, hell."

Jak swore violently under his breath. In his anger he'd completely forgotten about the race. Keira had appointed _him_ as the driver for her team; none of the other drivers would be ready in time, and the only one that Keira had left to ask was—

"You'll have to drive for the team, Daxter! We need this win to qualify for the final championship."

"How hard can it be? Just, uh… hold on tight and point the thingy where I want it to go… right? And the other thingy that makes it go fast… fast is good! I can do this! I'm ready to race!"

Inwardly, Jak let out a groan as he heard the words echo through the hall. It was too late to go back and change his mind; there was no way he was going to apologize for something that wasn't his fault, and his pride wouldn't allow it anyways. If he and Keira got into another fight, Jak wasn't sure whether or not he'd be able to contain his temper—or the dark eco running inside his veins.

No, it'd be best to let off some steam first. That, and hope to the Precursors that Daxter had been paying attention during all the time that he'd watched the controls from Jak's shoulder.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jak glanced at the guard, making sure he hadn't been seen, before ducking into the crowd that was steadily filling the stadium. When he didn't hear any shouts or alarms, he visibly sagged with relief, though he knew he still had to be careful about anyone recognizing him. He'd gone through a few missions out in the open streets, and he didn't know how many of the civilians would recognize him from there if he wasn't careful.

Keeping his head down, Jak eventually settled down on a seat between a mustached old man and a woman with a young child on her lap; the kid was staring out at the crowd in amazement, tugging at his mother's hand and pointing at the racetrack. Jak was surprised that there was a child out here at all; a sidelong glance at the exasperated woman confirmed that she was having second thoughts as well. But looking at the kid's eager, shining eyes, Jak thought he understood how hard it must have been to refuse the boy's desire; toys and candy were difficult to come by in these troubled times, and an event like this race might be the only thing he had to look forward to.

The dull roar of the crowd surrounding him suddenly increased into cheers and cries of excitement, and Jak was snapped out of his thoughts yet again. Leaning forward in his seat, Jak strained to hear the voice of the announcer. Unfortunately, the voice was distorted and warped between the size of the stadium and the sound of the crowd, and Jak couldn't make heads or tails of it. It just sounded like pointless noise. But everyone else clearly understood, cheering and screaming when certain accentuated sounds—no, words—were spoken. He thought he'd finally begun to understand the deformed syllables when he heard a surprised cry to his right.

"Mom! There's a weird orange rat entering the race!" the boy shouted excitedly, bouncing up and down and jabbing a pointed finger towards the track.

_Daxter!_

Jak's head turned sharply and sure enough, he got a glimpse a small furry body pressed against a zoomer three times its size. Yes, that was most _definitely_ Daxter. But he was so little compared to the other racers! He could easily be bumped from the vehicle by a more aggressive competitor, and his light weight would make it more difficult for him to control his turns. Anxiously, Jak began to regret not going back to the garage to take Daxter's place; he wasn't sure if his friend would be able to survive in the violent race that was about to begin.

"Dax… it doesn't matter if you win or not, just get out of there _alive_!" Jak murmured frantically under his breath. He knew he needed the win to get to Praxis, and losing the race was not an option in that regard…but the life of his best friend was decidedly more important than that goal, especially when the odds were stacked against that friend so heavily.

The countdown started—

_3_

_2_

_1_

_GO_

—And the race began.

Daxter seemed to have trouble getting the zoomer started, and though he figured it out quickly enough, he was already lagging behind the other racers when he regained control. He rounded the first turn, trailing too close to the wall for comfort but making it through safely. Daxter had now passed an unfortunate racer that had been knocked into the wall by another zoomer, and was catching up to the guilty party pretty quickly. Another few seconds and he'd be on par with him—

_WHAM!_

—and Daxter collided with the racer in sixth place, knocking him to the side and looking back with what was no doubt a smirk on his face before revving up his zoomer's engine for a burst of speed. Only five more racers were left between him and first place, and Jak had no doubt that he intended to pass them all.

Jak clutched the sides of his seat, leaning forward even further to keep his furry friend in his sight as long as possible. The tunnel was coming up, and it was the most opportune spot for opposing racers to cheat. There were a few cameras in the passageway, but in the shadows and darkness it could be hard to catch any foul play before it was too late. The thought of Daxter going in the tunnel and not coming out made Jak feel sick to his stomach.

Daxter sped into the tunnel without a second thought, the two racers he'd passed earlier trailing behind him. Jak waited with bated breath as the zoomers disappeared from sight, the open track completely empty.

For what felt like an agonizing eternity but could only be a few moments at most, the first racer emerged from the tunnel, a small length ahead of the second and third, which came out a second later. Another millisecond later, the fourth, fifth, and sixth racer appeared—

—and the fourth racer was Daxter! Jak breathed a heavy sigh of relief; not only had his friend avoided a crash, but he'd moved up two places to boot!

The racers in front passed the finish line, concluding the first lap; glancing back at the tunnel's exit, Jak noted darkly that the racers that should have been in seventh and eighth place had not come forth from the tunnel, victims to the pits of darkness or foul play. Turning his attention back to Daxter, he located his friend just in time to see another zoomer approaching him at dangerous speeds.

"Dax, look out!" Jak yelled instinctively, forgetting that he wouldn't be heard over the rest of the crowd. By some miracle, though, Daxter turned just in time to avoid the other racer, who crashed into the wall. Staring at the fiery explosion and ruined scraps of metal that skidded away from the crash, Jak was counting his lucky stars that it hadn't been Daxter now lying at the side of the road, body burnt and bleeding, not even a single medic to come and take him to a hospital—

—No, Daxter was still alive and racing. Wait, where was he? Daxter!

Jak immediately jerked his gaze away from the burnt figure crumpled by the crashed zoomer, his eyes darting to the other group of racers ahead, locating Daxter's zoomer right as it ducked into the tunnel for a second time.

For another few torturous moments, Jak waited for Daxter to appear from the tunnel's exit. The first racer sped out into the next turn faster than he expected… wait! The racer in first place, was it…? It was! Daxter! He must've found a shortcut of some kind, and he had a steady lead over the remaining racers!

Jak felt his hopes rise—Daxter was doing better than he'd thought he would, and there was a chance of him coming out alive _and_ winning the race! There were only three more laps now, and given Daxter's previous success, Jak really believed that he had a chance.

Another lap passed, and one unlucky zoomer crashed into the wall as its driver tried to navigate the turn a moment too late. A second racer was catching up to Daxter pretty fast, and the ottsel replied by initiating a speed boost once again, maintaining his lead.

Jak barely felt nervous this time as Daxter crossed into the tunneled section of the track, feeling confident that he'd come out safe and sound. He was right—Daxter finished the fourth lap in first place, but he was only barely ahead of another zoomer. This was the last lap, and Jak hoped that Daxter wouldn't let his recent success get to his head—By_ god,_ he hoped that it wouldn't get to his head.

The tunnel loomed ahead, and Jak's mind flickered with unease. With things how they were, he realized that there was a good chance of the racer tailing Daxter to cheat: if he got rid of the ottsel now, Daxter wouldn't have much chance to recover and regain his lead again. Jak stared at the track and nearly leaned right out of his seat, not missing an instant as the tunnel seemed to hungrily swallow up the two racers, and he barely noticed as five more zoomers followed behind a second later.

Time seemed to slow down around Jak as he stared at the tunnel's exit; every second passed painfully as he wondered whether his friend was still breathing.

A zoomer darted out of the tunnel, was it?—

—_No!_ It wasn't Daxter!—

—but a millisecond later another zoomer tore across the track, and Jak got a glimpse of orange fur, sighed in relief—

But the zoomer was on fire.

Jak's eyes widened as the badly-damaged zoomer began to increase in speed—What was he _doing_? The engine would explode at this rate!—now tied for first place with the other racer, and only seconds away from the finish line—

"You can do it, Daxter!" Jak screamed, standing up along with other hollering audience members, knowing he wouldn't be heard but still hoping it would help somehow—

—the near-destroyed zoomer crossed the finish line a millisecond before the other, and a small furry body jumped off of the winning zoomer right before it crashed into the nearby wall in a wild explosion. But no one cared about the zoomer anymore; the crowd was screaming and cheering for the winning ottsel, and Jak cheered right along with them.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jak slowly walked towards the garage, every step bringing him closer to giving his friend a well-earned congratulations. He tried to ignore the dread that crept up on him as he neared his destination; he didn't want to face Keira again so soon. Right before he reached the first large open garage door, he stopped, hesitating. Maybe Daxter wasn't here anymore, and he wouldn't have to deal with Keira after all. That wild theory was shot down as soon as he heard his friend's voice coming from inside the garage.

"…for Jak all the time. …Hey! When do I get the winner's big kiss?" he heard his friend demand, and he felt the edge of his mouth twitch. Daxter never did miss a chance to boast—especially if women were involved. Jak took a deep breath and walked in as Tess replied.

"Maybe later… if you're a _good boy_," Tess cooed, ruffling the fur on Daxter's head in adoration. Jak stopped, faltering slightly, but it was too late to retreat; Daxter had spotted him.

"Hey, uh… hey there," Daxter greeted Jak, a bit hesitantly. "We… sure showed those class-two losers a thing or to, huh…?"

Was that… _anxiety _in his friend's eyes? Nervousness? But why? He won the race. What could he be worried about?

And then it hit him: Daxter must be troubled about taking Jak's place in the race! Maybe he was worried that Jak would be angry at him for stealing a victory that could've been his. Well, he was about to show Daxter that there wasn't anything to be afraid of!

"I saw," Jak said gently, putting his hands on his hips absentmindedly as he looked down at his friend, who'd hopped off the table he'd been standing on to approach him. The ottsel looked up at Jak, apparently preparing for the worst. "You… drifted a little high on the turns a few times, but… you hung in there."

Now Daxter's expression resembled that of a child seeking acknowledgement from his parents, hope in his eyes as he looked into his friend's face.

"I'm proud of you, Dax," Jak said in his quiet voice, lightly punching Daxter's own raised fist in an old gesture of recognition.

"R-really?" The shining, honest-to-good happy look on Daxter's face filled Jak with a renewed surge of affection for his old companion; moments like these were what reminded Jak of why they were such good friends.

"Yeah," he said, giving Daxter one of his rare and untainted honest smiles, the hard and guarded look on his face melting away just enough to reveal a tender caring and pride towards his closest friend. "You did great," he added. Daxter stood up straight, bearing a smile of his own that must've been more brilliant than the sun itself.

"No, _we_ did great!" Daxter corrected him, the tenderness of the moment quickly replaced by a sturdy, strong sense of friendship—the sense that nothing would ever break them apart, and that they'd stick together until Hell froze over. Daxter hopped up onto his usual place on Jak's shoulder. "Right, partner?"

Jak looked at him with an appreciative smile, which disappeared as he glanced towards the other two people he suddenly remembered were in the room. Keira refused to look at him at all, pointedly ignoring him, and Tess simply gave him a long look before blinking and turning away.

Jak felt a stab of pain in his heart at his friends' coldness towards him, and his face returned to its usual guarded expression within an instant. If they'd been looking, they'd have seen the flicker of sadness that passed through his eyes before he turned away; but they hadn't been looking, and there was nothing more to be said. Jak walked out of the room in silence.


End file.
